1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an aerially deployable marking device and, more specifically, it relates to such a device which has features which will not only mark an area, thereby freeing aircraft from the need to hover over the same until others arrive at the scene, but also has enhancing features which facilitate more ready location of the device by ground personnel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has been known in connection with missions performed by various law enforcement agencies, military units and other situations to mark a specific land location employing aircraft, such as helicopters, co-acting with ground crews to pinpoint specific ground locations for the ground crew. Often, a helicopter is required to hover over the area until the ground crew arrives at the location. Examples of such needs include trailing a fleeing criminal, warning of dangerous areas such as mine fields, locating injured personnel or casualties in a battle zone or the result of terrorist action, and locating a site of illegal activity such as growing of controlled substances, such as marijuana.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,008 discloses a location marker which has a suitably energized flashable strobe lamp and is adapted to being deployed in a water environment. It also has a metal ring for attachment to clothing. It is not, however, designed to be aerially deployable, and as a result, has no unique weighting to facilitate landing with a particular orientation, and does not have a ground engaging element.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,898,363 discloses a portable audible beacon which has a housing with signal generating means and an acoustic transducer. The signal generating means generates an oscillating signal that is periodically interrupted by a zero signal. The fundamental frequency is said to correspond to the frequency of high auditory sensitivity to the human ear, whereas the interruption frequency is said to relate to-directionally discernable frequency to the human ear. It contains a projection to resist the unit being positioned with the speaker facing downwardly.
There remains, therefore, a very real and substantial need for a system and product for more efficiently marking a location on land by means of an aerially deployed device which will be sufficiently durable to survive the drop, will provide means for enhancing the ability of ground personnel to locate the same, and will enhance the likelihood of it engaging the ground upon contact.
The present invention has met the above-described need. It provides an aerially deployable position marking device which has an elongated housing having upper and lower ends, a handle secured to the housing, a ground engaging portion adjacent to the lower end of the housing and at least one locating element. The ground engaging portion may be a projecting spike which is adapted to penetrate the earth or other contact surface.
The locating element may be an energized or unenergized item. For example, it may be a streamer. An energized locating element may be a light, for example. A suitable battery and switch are provided for units that have to be energized.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an aerially deployable marking device which may be thrown from aircraft or otherwise thrown through the air and, under the influence of gravity, contact the ground so as to mark an area for ground personnel or other personnel.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a device which is adapted to physically engage the earth or other contact area.
It is yet another object of the present invention to facilitate efficient use of aircraft in various law enforcement, military and other activities such that the time the aircraft is present over a particular location of interest is minimized.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a durable, relatively inexpensive device of this type.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such a device which is reusable.
These and other objects of the invention will be fully understood from the following description of the invention with reference to the drawings appended hereto.